Distilled: OYO Rye Whiskey is a love (not to be reckoned with)

Have you ever met a person who immediately took you aback? Who was good, but also bad, for your general disposition? Did you hesitate out of fear you might get wounded? Welcome to OYO Rye Whiskey. You’re about to get wounded.

See, OYO Rye is utterly fantastic, and completely troublesome. At barreling strength (110 proof), this is a white wolf (because “dog” would be an understatement and disservice).

OYO has already produced a “bourbon” I recommend in the Michelone Reserve — in spite of its blended genetics — so I set a level for the rye I didn’t expect it to meet. As a white whiskey — an un-aged (clear) whiskey, Bluegrass moonshine if you will — I doubted it was capable of meeting expectations.

Then, OYO Rye Whiskey went and blew me away. Swoon.

Made with “100 percent pumpernickel rye,” OYO Rye hints at something whiskey lovers will know and love, but also find completely original. This is the textbook recipe for a whiskey affair.

Sipping it neat, as is appropriate for any first kiss, the rye is hot and messy, and burns a bit (something occasionally apropos for a first kiss, but que sera, sera). If you’re into that sort of thing, which I won’t knock, run, kiss, ignite now.

If you’re a bit more patient and want a slow paroxysm, add an ice cube or two (or a dash of water, which is less preferred) and OYO Rye opens up utterly exquisitely. The subtle essences (a mixture of corn and wheat abstractions that bonds beautifully) become something to savor.

If OYO Rye is still too strong for your tastes, move to a cocktail (ideally a Manhattan). Or, if you’re looking to splurge for a special occasion, OYO has a barrel-aging kit for a hundy.

If I haven’t convinced (or wingman-ed) you enough by now, whiskey lovers, I’ll put it simply — get some OYO Rye Whiskey. Just be careful, she’s a feisty one.